No, I haven’t taken up smoking…

…but I’ve been collecting retro melamine ashtrays that make great brush/water holders for painting. And they come in great colors (I have bigger yellow and green ones at my studio.)

This is a small one, which is good for travel, especially on a boat where your brushes might roll overboard. The watercolor pencils roll also, but at least they float when they hit the water, so you have time to dive in and retrieve them.

Also for travel, I like using old watercolor tins to carry small brushes. They work better than anything new I can find, and add a nice flavor to the process.

This really is a great idea! I use the smaller glass ashtrays (without the raised center) for beading. They’re easy to pick up and tilt slightly when loading beads on a needle. It amuses me when people visit, see the ashtrays and stop in their tracks, wondering if I smoke and hesitant to ask.

This is definitely one of the best ideas I have come across in a very long time!! Lightweight, indestructible, great looking & perfect for art on the go!!! Thanks for sharing & love the painting in action shots.

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I'm an artist who makes contemporary quilts and drawings. I share a studio in an old peanut butter factory with my husband Russ RuBert who is an artist and sculptor. I'm also co-founder of the ideaXfactory, a contemporary art installation space. You can also see more of my art at PamRuBert.com